


You're Not Sick

by quetzalzotz



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bisexuality, Coming Out, Other, Steve is bi, happy pride!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-06 21:44:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4237698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quetzalzotz/pseuds/quetzalzotz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I saw a prompt on Tumblr: Imagine Steve realizing bisexuality isn’t a disease because the serum doesn’t cure it. And I wanted to write that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're Not Sick

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry in advance for any mistakes. I do not have a beta reader at this time, so feel free to point anything out!

The crowded auditorium was stifling, or maybe Steve was just nervous. He had never spoken publicly about this.

 

“You’ll be okay,” Clint offered an encouraging grin. He would be speaking after Steve, and yet he seemed completely calm and at ease. “It’s not easy to talk about this sort of thing, but you can do this. You’re Captain-Freaking-America, and if Thor can ramble about the horse that came out of his brother’s vagina for five minutes, I think you can do this.”

 

“Why would you bring that up?” The soldier asked with a cringe.

 

Before Clint could answer, the sound of applause meant it was time for him to head out on stage. He had been out on stage before, but this felt so different than parading around on stage and punching out Hitler.

 

“Good afternoon,” Steve started, flashing a grin to the crowd. “I’d like to thank the University of North Carolina for inviting me here. Are there any medical students in the audience?”

 

A few cheers punctuated the silence.

 

“Then I’m sure you know all about the diseases and disorders I had before, well…” He gestured to himself, “before this.”

\----- 

Steve was nursing a drink in a dingy little bar when Howard Stark found him.

 

“Hey there, Adonis,” Stark said with a grin, sliding into the booth across from the blond. “I just finished reading through the results of your physical. It’s incredible, this is better than anything we could have hoped for; every illness and affliction vanished!”

 

“Not every one,” he replied with a tight look.

 

“What are you talking about? Look at your file!” He pushed the thick envelope of papers towards the soldier.

 

“No, Stark, I’m still sick. I’m too damn sick to be a soldier. It doesn’t matter that I can breathe for the first time in my life or that I can eat whatever I want without risking reactions. I’m still unfit for duty.”

 

The scientist tried to look sympathetic, but he came off as smarmy. “I promise you, you’re completely clear for duty.”

 

Steve downed the rest of his drink in an angry gulp, “then why am I still attracted to my best friend? He’s a man, for Christ’s sake. And I’m attracted to women too. I’m sick. I’m perverted.” He slammed his glass down, causing it to shatter.

 

“C’mon, we’ll talk in my office.”

 

Steve was pacing. He had never admitted his feelings before, and talking to Howard Stark of all people wasn’t how he ever planned something like this.

 

“Steve, you’re not sick.”

 

“I get,” he flushed scarlet; “I get aroused at the sight of some men, and by some women. If it was just the women, fine. But I’m a man, I can’t be attracted to men!”

 

“Why not? Do you honestly think most of the people working here have never been attracted to someone of the same sex? I promise you at least half of them have experimented. I have, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about, it’s normal.”

 

“Normal? I’ve seen guys get pummelled almost to death for looking too effeminate.”

 

“Those people are wrong. Just because society hasn’t caught up doesn’t mean something isn’t normal. Hell, there will probably be people who will think it’s abnormal that we could help you like this.”

 

The blond sighed, clenching and unclenching his fists.

 

“Steve, the people who truly matter in your life, people like Peggy, they won’t care. I don’t care. Bucky won’t care.”

 

Howard flipped through the piles of notes, trying to find some little shred of knowledge to help. It was past midnight before Howard had anything.

 

He shook Steve from his doze, excited. “Listen to me. The serum worked. You’re cured.”

 

“Howard, I told you,” he yawned. “It didn’t cure every disease.”

 

“Yes, it did,” the scientist had a manic grin on his face. “So if it cured everything that means this isn’t a disease! There’s nothing wrong with you!”

\-----

“There is nothing wrong with you,” Steve echoed to the quiet auditorium. “That’s when I realized that being bisexual wasn’t a disease. So be pan, be gay, be ace, and be trans. Be who you are, because you’re not diseased, and you’re not sick.”

 

The applause roared through the hall. Steve blushed, smiled, and saluted. It was the right decision to step onto that stage.


End file.
